Lucky Charms
by RZZMG
Summary: Seamus Finnigan has fancied his friend, Hermione Granger, for years. Getting her for his partner for a Gryffindor Yule Gift Exchange is just the right opportunity for him to finally confess! With the help of some Irish lucky charm, perhaps he can capture her attention at long last. Ficlet, One-shot, Romance, Comedy, Fluff. Seamus x Hermione. Hogwarts 6th year-head canon. COMPLETE!


**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

**Queen of Faerie: Happy Birthday, dahling!**

**Please review!**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: **"Harry Potter" is the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. This fanfiction was written entirely for fun, not for profit, and no copyright infringement is intended.

**TIMELINE:** Hogwarts era, 6th year (head canon, year: 1996).

**MAIN CHARACTERS FEATURED (alphabetical order, last name):** Seamus Finnigan, Hermione Granger

**SUMMARY:** Seamus has fancied Hermione for years. With the help of some Irish lucky charm, perhaps he can capture her attention.

**RATING: **PG

**WARNINGS:** Fluffy HEA, Characters a bit OOC for the sake of the plot, Head canon story.

* * *

_**LUCKY CHARMS**_

**By: RZZMG**

* * *

_**~.~**_

_**1 December, 1996**_

_**Gryffindor Common Room, Hogwarts**_

_**~.~**_

Calmly, Seamus walked away from the group of Gryffindors still reaching into the bowl to draw their partner's names, finding a secluded spot in the shadows. There, he let loose with an arm pump, and a mental high-five-to-self.

Circe's round bottom, he'd actually drawn Hermione Granger for his Secret Yule gift exchange partner! The non-verbal _draíocht_ –an ancient Irish Charm Spell– he'd cast on the bowl right before he'd reached in had done its work and let him cheat his way to victory.

Two years he'd been waiting for this chance, ever since the Yule Ball, when he'd enviously watched Hermione waltz onto the dance floor with Viktor Krum and had felt a stirring in his belly that he'd never felt for another lass. He'd harboured a secret fancy for her over the year and a half since then, but it had been clear that she'd had eyes only for his mate, Ron.

Then Ron had royally ducked it up last month by hooking up with Seamus' ex, Lavender, and now Hermione was a free bird, her interest in the guy completely squashed.

When he'd heard their House was continuing its annual tradition of the gift exchange, despite all the madness going on in the world outside the castle walls, Seamus had sensed his time had come to make his move. He'd diligently practised the Lucky Cheating Charm –a spell derivation of the Felix Felicis potion– whenever there was a private moment, determined not to leave this opportunity up to random chance, which had never been kind to him.

And he'd pulled it off like an Ace!

He stared at her name on the tiny scrap of paper in his hand, memorizing the perfection of her penmanship. He loved the way she looped the 'G' in her last name.

His gift would have to be something extra special to catch her attention - something unique and romantic. Just like with the charm, her present was going to require much thought and planning. He had three weeks to work it out, though, so he wasn't too worried…

_**~.~**_

_**Three weeks later… Just before the Christmas holiday break**_

_**~.~**_

The fireworks display had been an absolute hit. Unfortunately, Seamus had lost consciousness somewhere around the grand finale, when he'd been thrown back into the wall by the resultant explosion, so he'd missed the after-event cheering and congratulating.

Lying in the hospital wing's lumpy cot now, covered in soot with singed hair and eyebrows, he grinned, remembering the unabashed delight that had crossed Hermione's face when his gift had been revealed at long last.

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head a little too hard?" she asked, sitting at his side now, a look of concern crossing her pretty, girl-next-door features.

"No, why?" he asked. He couldn't seem to stop smiling at her. She seemed thoroughly perplexed and a little in awe of him just then, and that tickled him to the bone.

She giggled quite suddenly, and it was a sweet, feminine sound. "Because you're smiling like the Mad Hatter on holiday."

He chuckled, and then winced as his ribs ached from the movement. "Did ya like yer present?"

Hermione leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, a quick peck in gratitude. "Very much. Thank you for such an amazing show. Although, convincing a leprechaun to dress as a Christmas elf and having him sing seasonal carols while the fireworks went off…"

"A tad o'er the top?" he asked, amused by the nice blush that crossed her freckled nose and cheeks.

"It was an extravagant touch, yes, but it definitely added flair to the presentation," she admitted. "Er… you did remember to pay him for his time and efforts, didn't you?"

Seamus laughed, cradling his bruised ribs. "O' course. I didn't forget that yer the champion o' the little people, so yeah, the leprechaun was paid. Little blighter charged me double for having to wear a red cap, though."

His chuckles eventually tapered off, giving way to an awkward silence between them. Hermione continued to use a damp wash rag to clean the soot from his cheeks and chin. She could have used magic to do it, Seamus knew, but instead she did it the old-fashioned Muggle way… which made him wonder if she wasn't putting her hands on him on purpose.

"It was a lovely gift," she murmured, looking down at his blackened fingertips. The fuse had burned them on that last lighting, but they didn't hurt, toughened as they were from years of playing with fire. "An enchanting display, truly, and it really cheered me up. You went to far too much trouble, though."

"Lass, for you, there is no such thing," he whispered, feeling his heart pound away in his chest as he confessed at long last. "There's no lengths I wouldn'ta go if ya asked it o' me, Hermione."

Her eyes flickered to his, and she licked her bottom lip. "Sea, I'm not sure-"

Taking a chance, Seamus reached up and caressed her cheek, leaving a small smudge of ash behind. "Makin' ya smile again, that's me real gift ta ya, dontcha know. Everything else was just icing on the cake."

A small smile graced her pink lips. "Sometimes, Sea, despite six years in the same House, you still manage to surprise me." She arched an eyebrow. "You're quite the smooth talker, too," she teased. Slowly, her long lashes fluttered closed and she leaned into his hand, accepting his touch with a contented sigh. "It won't work on me, though. I'm immune to Irish charms."

He snickered again, watching her succumb to his flirting, and thinking of another type of Irish charm he'd used recently to get him here.

Ignoring the pain in his ribs (the potions were beginning to kick in anyway, and he could feel the hurt lessening by the second), he leaned towards her and pressed his lips to hers. She gave a tiny jolt, but didn't pull away.

"Happy Christmas, Hermione Granger."

Her answering smile was sweet like holiday candy, and as bright as his fireworks display. "If these are the lengths you go to for a mere Christmas gift, I can't wait to see what you have planned for New Year's," she joked.

He smirked and suggestively waggled his eyebrows. "Oh, it's gonna be a real bang, love," he vowed, moving in for another kiss. "Your smile's gonna light up the sky."

Hermione pulled back at the last moment. "No leprechauns this time."

He easily agreed.

"Happy Christmas, Seamus Finnigan," she whispered, and kissed him.

With a quick non-verbal casting of the Irish Lucky Cheating Charm again, Seamus was hoping Hermione's wishes would come true a little early... for the both of them.

_**~FIN~**_

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**This was my first attempt at a Seamus-Hermione story, and there was no smut in it (I know, I know... inconceivable!). Despite that, what did you think? Please review!**


End file.
